Uganda Wildlife Authority unveils Entebbe airport branding

Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) on Tuesday presented its new branding of the Entebbe International Airport with a nature theme that both highlights the country’s natural attractions and leverages recent media accolades.

UWA’s initiated a partnership with both the Civil Aviation Authority and USAID’s Sustainable Tourism in the Albertine Rift project to influence this authentic Ugandan look and feel at the Entebbe Airport, which the main gateway to the rest of the country. The new airport branding campaign incorporates messaging from Lonely Planet, and National Geographic, which reinforces Uganda’s credibility as a leading destination.

As the airport is usually the travelers’ first impression of a destination, this new messaging will give visitors a better sense of place when arriving in Uganda and offer an authentic welcome. The customs and immigration gateway at Entebbe airport has been criticized in recent years for having corporate branding messaging that detract from the true feeling of a Ugandan Welcome to international visitors and foreign residents.

Professor Ephraim Kamuntu, the minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage who presided over the official unveiling and later launched the “Photos for Parks” competition meant to improve Uganda tourism online marketing via a new look website, commended the partners for the new initiative. He observed that the development was timely ahead of the forthcoming Inter Parliamentary Union meeting to be held in Uganda in March 2012,the year when the country marks a golden jubilee of her independence.

UWA Executive Director Dr. Andrew Seguya said he was happy that the airport was beginning to have a national identity. He promised that UWA intends to brand road signs from the airport and the major trunk roads leading to national parks in all regions of the country.

Mr. Tom Wasswa the marketing manager, Civil Aviation Authority said there was a master plan in place for development of rural airports to further boost tourism. He appreciated the partnership between UWA and other stake holders in the travel industry.

The event was graced by representatives from government agencies, private sector, Association of Tour Uganda Operators and the media.